Apr. 19 – KGO – A South Bay lawmaker is pushing for changes when it comes to medical errors and how they’re reported. Four people died in just over a year at two South Bay Kaiser facilities. There’s action at the state capitol where a hospital safety bill is moving forward.
This Senate hearing is a very personal journey for Brianna Wibeto of San Jose. Her 21-year-old brother Chris died in August of last year. Chris was being treated at Kaiser Santa Theresa for lymphoma, but it wasn’t the cancer that claimed his life — it was a medication error.
Brianna Wibeto, victim’s sister: “We put our trust in people’s hands completely and there were suppose to be there to help save his life and instead it got taken away from us.”
Five-year-old Jennifer Daugherty is another victim of medical error. Her mother traveled to the state capital from Napa to talk about her loss in 1995.
Melinda Daugherty, victim’s mother: “Almost 11 years later, I don’t feel any better about it and I’m amazed that things haven’t progressed further than they have now.”
Medical errors and reports are basically buried in files at various offices of the Department of Health Services. State Senator Elaine Alquist is hoping to change the rules about the reporting, investigating and disclosure of medical mistakes.
St. Sen. Elaine Alquist, D-San Jose: “It is really important for hospitals to be a safe place for sick people. I think it really comes down to that.”
The Senate Health Committee heard Senator Alquist’s bill today.
Specifically, the Hospital Medical Error and Safety Act would post medical errors and investigation results online. It calls for unannounced hospital inspections once a year instead of the announced visits every three years. Hospitals would have a maximum of five days to report medical errors, instead of the current six months, and the state would have 45 days to complete its investigation.
Previously:
November 2, 2005 — Kaiser cited for man?s death in hospital
November 4, 2005 — Another death in ?05 attributed to hospital error
November 9, 2005 — Kaiser confirms third patient death due to medication error
November 10, 2005 — Fourth patient has died after mistake at Kaiser hospital
November 11, 2005 — Former Kaiser Doctor Claims Many Medical Mistakes
It will be interesting if this law is made enforcable with serious sanctions. Otherwise it would just be a symbolic gesture to appease the families.